Process for fiberglass molding using a vacuum

Abstract

A method of flowing resin from an inlet opening into a sealed mold and a lay up which is comprised of at least one top layer of absorbent or reinforcing material which defines a passage or hole from the inlet opening to a non-absorbent layer which non-absorbent layer lies above at least one bottom layer of reinforcing material. This process flows the resin from the inlet opening into the mold then through the passage defined by the top reinforcing layer through the non-absorbent layer and then through channels defined by the non-absorbent layer throughout the lay up. The most simple embodiment of the product embodying this is to have a substantially non-absorbent layer which defines in at least one channel for serving as a conduit for resin to move throughout the volume, a top layer of reinforcing material defining a non-absorbent passage from a resin inlet in the mold to the non-absorbent layer and a bottom layer of reinforcing material opposite the non-absorbent layer from the top layer of reinforcing material so that the non-absorbent layer is sandwiched between the top layer and the bottom layer so that resin can flow into and through the passage to the non-absorbent layer and then throughout the non-absorbent layer and back up into the top absorbent reinforcing layer and down into the bottom absorbing reinforcing layer.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method of flowing resin from an inlet opening in an at least partially sealed mold into a lay-up, said lay-up comprising: 
       (1) a weave of non-absorbent material defining a layer of material having a plurality of channels for passage of resin and having an upper surface defining an upper area and a lower surface defining a lower area, said non-absorbent layer located below a top resin absorbent reinforcement layer said top resin reinforcement layer having a bottom reinforcing area and wherein said non-absorbent layer is located above a bottom resin absorbent layer,  
       (2) a passage extending from an inlet opening of said mold through the bottom reinforcing area of said top resin reinforcement layer said passage comprising a tube mounted therein, said non-absorbent layer having a cutout, wherein said top resin absorbent reinforcement layer is in contact with said bottom resin reinforcement layer within said cutout; said method comprising the following steps:  
       (A) flowing said resin through said tube from the inlet opening to the non-absorbent layer;  
       (B) flowing said resin from the non-absorbent material through the plurality of channels defined by the non-absorbent material to the top resin absorbent reinforcement layer and bottom resin absorbent reinforcement layer and flowing said resin through said cutout thereby joining and securing the top resin absorbent reinforcement layer to the bottom resin absorbent reinforcement layer.  
     
     
       2. The method of claim  1 , wherein flowing said resin from an inlet opening further comprises drawing a vacuum on the mold for drawing resin into the channels of the non-absorbent layer. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim  1 , wherein resin from an inlet opening further comprises introducing the resin under pressure into the inlet opening. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim  1 , further comprising draining surplus resin from the lay-up. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim  1 , wherein flowing said resin from the inlet opening further comprises placing a vacuum on a interior of the mold to draw the resin from the inlet opening into the mold. 
     
     
       6. The method of  1  wherein the mold defines an interior and further comprising compressing the lay-up against the mold interior. 
     
     
       7. The method of claim  1  further comprising the steps of forming said cutout in the non-absorbent layer and pushing the at least one top resin absorbent reinforcement into cutout so it is in contact with the bottom resin absorbent layer. 
     
     
       8. The method of claim  1  further comprising coating at least a portion of the at least one non-absorbent layer with a bonding material to allow the at least one-absorbent layer to bond with the at least one top resin absorbent reinforcement layer and the at least one bottom resin absorbent reinforcement layer. 
     
     
       9. A process for preparing fiber reinforcement coated with resin to form parts comprising the following steps: 
       laying down at least one bottom resin absorbent reinforcement layer of reinforcing material into a mold of desired shape;  
       covering the at least one bottom resin absorbent reinforcement layer with at least one non-absorbing layer of material comprising a weave of non-absorbent threads having channels and apertures therein through which the resin can pass;  
       covering the non-absorbing layer with a top resin absorbent reinforcement layer;  
       sealing the top resin absorbent reinforcement layer, the bottom resin absorbent reinforcement layer, and the non-absorbing layer within the mold;  
       providing a passage with a tube mounted therein extending from a mold resin inlet through said top resin absorbent reinforcement layer;  
       flowing resin from the mold inlet and through the passage to the non-absorbing layer, through the channels and apertures, and into the top resin absorbent reinforcement layer; and  
       flowing said resin through said channels and apertures of said weave of said non-absorbent layer, thereby joining and securing the top resin absorbent reinforcement layer to the bottom resin absorbent layer through flow of resin within the channels and apertures of the non-absorbent layer.  
     
     
       10. The process of claim  9  wherein the weave is a flexible mesh. 
     
     
       11. The process of claim  10  wherein the reinforcement layers are flexible reinforcement layers. 
     
     
       12. A method of flowing resin from an inlet opening in an at least partially sealed mold into a lay-up, said lay-up comprising: 
       a weave of non-absorbent material defining a layer of material having a plurality of channels for passage of resin and having an upper surface defining an upper area and a lower surface defining a lower area, said non-absorbent layer located below a top resin absorbent reinforcement layer said top resin reinforcement layer having a bottom reinforcing area and wherein said non-absorbent layer is located above a bottom resin absorbent layer,  
       (2) a passage extending from an inlet opening of said mold through the bottom reinforcing area of said top resin reinforcement layer said passage comprising a tube mounted therein, said non-absorbent layer having a resin absorbent strand woven through said layer, wherein said top resin absorbent reinforcement layer is in contact with said bottom resin reinforcement layer through said resin absorbent strand; said method comprising the following steps:  
       (A) flowing said resin through said tube from the inlet opening to the non-absorbent layer;  
       (B) flowing said resin from the non-absorbent material through the plurality of channels defined by the non-absorbent material to the top resin absorbent reinforcement layer and bottom resin absorbent reinforcement layer and flowing said resin through said resin absorbent strand thereby joining and securing the top resin absorbent reinforcement layer to the bottom resin absorbent reinforcement layer.  
     
     
       13. The method of claim  12 , wherein said resin absorbent strand is woven through a perimeter of the non-absorbing layer. 
     
     
       14. A method of flowing resin from an inlet opening in an at least partially sealed mold into a lay-up, said lay-up comprising: 
       (1) a weave of non-absorbent material defining a layer of material having a plurality of channels for passage of resin and having an upper surface defining an upper area and a lower surface defining a lower area, said non-absorbent layer located below a top resin absorbent reinforcement layer said top resin reinforcement layer having a bottom reinforcing area and wherein said non-absorbent layer is located above a bottom resin absorbent layer,  
       (2) a passage extending from an inlet opening of said mold through the bottom reinforcing area of said top resin reinforcement layer said passage comprising a tube mounted therein, said non-absorbent layer having a cutout, wherein said cutout further comprising a patch of resin absorbing material for binding said top and bottom resin absorbent reinforcement layers, said method comprising the following steps:  
       (A) flowing said resin through said tube from the inlet opening to the non-absorbent layer;  
       (B) flowing said resin from the non-absorbent material through the plurality of channels defined by the non-absorbent material to the top resin absorbent reinforcement layer and the bottom resin absorbent reinforcement layer and flowing said resin through said patch for binding said top resin absorbent layer and said bottom resin absorbent layer.  
     
     
       15. The process of claim  9 , wherein said weave of non-absorbent material is selected from the group consisting of linen weaves, twill weaves, weft fabric, warp fabric, rib fabric, interlocking weaves, tucked weaves, plastic woven fibers, woven or knitted non-absorbent monofilament, and greenhouse shading, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       16. The process of claim  9 , wherein increasing a quantity of threads in a layer increases channel size of said weave. 
     
     
       17. The process claim  9 , wherein spacing between woven non-absorbent fiber provides channels for resin flow. 
     
     
       18. The process of claim  16 , wherein said channel width is from about 0.0075 inches to about 0.60 inches. 
     
     
       19. The process of claim  1 , wherein said passage is about 25% of the diameter of said inlet opening.